abstinence

noun
UK: /ˈæbstɪnəns/
US: /ˈæbstənəns/

  1. The practice of not doing or having something that you enjoy, especially alcohol or sex.

    1. Teenagers should consider abstinence from alcohol. [ ] [ ]
    2. Complete abstinence from alcohol is the only way to manage the disease. [ ] [ ]

  2. The act of not allowing yourself to do something that you want to do, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.

    1. The patient was advised to practice abstinence from fatty foods. [ ] [ ]
    2. His abstinence from social events was interpreted as a sign of depression. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

self-restraint temperance self-denial continence

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "abstinence" in English means: The practice of not doing or having something that you enjoy, especially alcohol or sex., The act of not allowing yourself to do something that you want to do, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons..

The phonetic transcription of "abstinence" is /ˈæbstɪnəns/ in British English and /ˈæbstənəns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "abstinence": self-restraint, temperance, self-denial, continence.

Example usage of "abstinence": "Teenagers should consider abstinence from alcohol.". More examples on the page.